THE FROZEN FIRE
Fulfilling A Cool Cine Mission
Agroup leaders of arrested, prisoners put are on released trial and after condemned serving a to six-year life imprisonment jail term. They over were a failed among insurrection. In 1982 the rebel group leader Rohana Wijeweera enters mainstream politics and secures 300,000 votes at the Presidential elections. The re-emergence of the JVP causes concerns in the political circles. The party is forced to go underground after the JVP is conveniently accused of involvement in the ethnic riots. Thus begins the daring and bloody game of hide and seek. Wijeweera and his close allies initially flee to the Southern jungles but they later opt to return to a life of disguise. The life story of Rohana Wijeweera was never short of controversies and so was his death. It is practically impossible to trap and compress a character like Rohana Wijeweera into a movie with a run time of 150 minutes. Award-winning filmmaker Anuruddha Jayasinghe has skilfully chosen an apt end to the evading ex JVP leader’s final moments that were shrouded in controversy, with different factions coming out with various theories. Anuruddha should be hailed for choosing Kamal Addaraarachchi to play the pivotal role of Rohana Wijeweera and letting him live in the character making the audience forget that there existed an actor called Kamal Addaraarachchi. The film is now running to packed houses with most cinemas enjoying ‘House Full’ shows even on weekdays. This proves a fact that Anuruddha Jayasinghe has identified the pulse of the general filmgoer and presented it in a cool manner catering to all sections in society. Kamal plays a meticulous role as Wijeweera especially in the captures where he is not aware of the turbulences that would follow. His incredible role should come as a model for newcomers to learn how dedication and commitment could produce a successful performance. Rohana’s story, though shrouded in mystery and controversy, is a tale that many people know and long to know. But there are many sides to it have not been told and not highlighted. Anuruddha highlights Wijeweera’s obstinacy to remain on the run despite attempts by the then government to get the party to the negotiating table. Politics apart, Anuruddha’s choice in the casting should also be applauded. The whole cast play their parts sincerely, transporting the audiences back to seventies and eighties. Some powerful captures and emotional dialogues indeed leave you shaken, leaving behind nostalgic memories even days after watching the movie. That said, some may feel the director could have infused more emotional content and sensitivity to the character, but no harm has befallen the overall product. How much one may agree or disagree with Anuruddha Jayasinghe’s portrayal of Rohana Wijeweera would largely depend on various factors, but one common factor that one may see in the film is JVP’S strong stance against racism in any form. Wijeweera reiterates in the film that racism is the most convenient tool available for politicians to create mayhem in the country… and even after 35 years of his demise we see how wise his words were. Taking a very closer look at the movie, some may detect a few technical glitches here and there. However, those would be easily eclipsed by the bold challenge Anuruddha has accepted to venture into this intriguing movie mission.